Tag Archives: Chasing Cinema

Just months after the theatrical release of The Post, Steven Spielberg has another film opening in theaters—Ready Player One.

Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke in Ready Player One

The film is an adaptation of the 2011 science-fiction novel by Ernest Cline. However, movie studios were well aware of this novel’s appeal. So much so, that Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the novel a year before it was published.

Ready Player One takes place in 2045, where the world is so desolate most of humanity uses a virtual-reality software known as OASIS, to escape it. This includes Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), a teenager who lives in the slums of Ohio, who one day hopes to capture a legendary Easter egg.

Black Panther is the 18th film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it is, without question, the best movie they’ve made.

Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther

That’s right—it doesn’t have 20 superheroes or threaten the end of the world, but it’s a cerebral and complex film that offers a breath of fresh air for the MCU.

Director Ryan Coogler, who made Fruitvale Station and Creed, has created the most unique movie within the Marvel canon. He, along with the cast and crew ofBlack Panther, truly elevated the superhero genre.

Black Panther follows T’Challa, played Chadwick Boseman, who after the death of his father (which takes place in Captain America: Civil War) must take his place as the new king of Wakanda. But, when a family secret emerges, the throne and Wakanda are put in jeopardy.

Fifty Shades Freed is the concluding chapter in the popular Fifty Shades trilogy, which is based on the books from E. L. James.

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades Freed

The final installment, directed by James Foley, opens with Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) reciting their wedding vows. And, that’s when the movie should have ended. In fact, Fifty Shades of Grey should have ended that way.

Why? Nothing happens in this movie, and nothing happened in the previous film, Fifty Shades Darker, either. This is a textbook example of “milking it.”

Maze Runner: The Death Cure comes four years after the release of the initial film in the franchise. The Maze Runner opened in September of 2014, during the height of the young-adult (YA) craze, rivaling The Giver and Divergent.

Dylan O’Brien and Thomas Brodie-Sangster in Maze Runner: The Death Cure

The sequel (Scorch Trials) hit theaters promptly a year later, but unlike the first movie, it was met with harsh criticism. Because of the film missing the mark with critics and movie-goers, the third and final installment was set to release in February of 2017.

However, the star of the franchise, Dylan O’Brien, was seriously injured during a stunt after only three days of filming. The production was shut down, and there were serious doubts that The Death Cure would ever be finished. Luckily, O’Brien was able not only to overcome his injury but also managed to complete the film.

My biggest issue with 12 Strong, “the declassified true story of the horse soldiers,” is that it never feels likes a true story. It instead feels like stilted, tacky, and heartless attempt at a war picture.

For instance, there is plenty of “the warrior is in the heart” talk and dialogue that feels like it belongs in an installment of The Karate Kid or Rocky.

Chris Hemsworth and Navid Negahban in 12 Strong

That probably wasn’t the intention of Danish filmmaker Nicolai Fuglsig, but 12 Strong feels more like a campy action-movie rather than a serious, war-drama.

The movie tells the story of a dozen Army Special Forces (“Green Berets”) who are deployed into Afghanistan after 9/11. The group is ordered to work with a local warlord to strike down the Taliban, forcing them out of the country.

In 2008 movie-goers realized Liam Neeson was an undiscovered, action icon after watching Taken. What they didn’t know is that Hollywood would exploit this idea for nearly a decade.

Liam Neeson in The Commuter

Fast-forward ten years and The Commuter, from director Jaume Collet-Serra, is now in theaters. Just four years after making a movie where Neeson is a gun-wielding hero on a plane, he is doing the same thing but this time—on a train.

After being fired from his job, a few years shy of his retirement, Michael (Neeson) sits on the commuter train debating how he is going to tell his wife and his son (a recently-accepted college student). That is when he is approached by a stranger (Vera Ferminga) and given a “hypothetical” question: would he be willing to identify a passenger who doesn’t belong for $100,000. With some persuasion, Michael accepts the task only to discover soon he is about to get way more than he bargained for.

Insidious: The Last Key is the waving of the white flag for the franchise—it’s given up. The fourth installment (but the second film in sequential order) lacks energy and the creative drive the series began with, in the 2010 picture.

Lin Shaye in Insidious: The Last Key

Lin Shaye returns as Dr. Elise Rainier, who must return to investigate her childhood home where she discovered her “gift.” Out of all of her cases, her house in Five Keys, New Mexico has haunted her the most and now she must face her biggest demon.

According to actor Hugh Jackman, Logan, will be his tenth and final appearance as the beloved X-Men character, Wolverine.

While I don’t believe that Jackman is completely finished playing the Marvel mutant, the actor is stepping away from the character for some time. Regardless if he reprises the role or not, this film is a near-perfect send-off for the actor and his character.

Dafne Keen and Hugh Jackman in Logan

Logan follows a beaten-down Wolverine, in a near future where mutants are nearly extinct, who is hiding on the Mexican border caring for an ill Professor X (Patrick Stewart). However, his plans quickly change when a young mutant, named Laura (Dafne Keen), shows up and needs their help.

Update: LOUIE WINS! He predicted 17 out of 24 categories correct. Jacob predicted 16 out of 24, losing by one category. See the winners & predictions below

This Sunday, Feb. 26, is the 89th Academy Awards and just like years past the Oscars has got us excited here at Chasing Cinema. Below are Jacob Tiranno and Louie Coruzzolo’s 2017 Oscar Predictions. We both feel like La La Land will follow its recording-tying nominations for a single film (14) with a big night and walk away with a lot of hardware.

Chasing Cinema’s 2017 Oscar Predictions

Also, we feel that the terrific performances by Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in Fences will take home the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress Oscars respectively. To check out our full coverage of the biggest winners and the must-see moments of the show make sure you follow us on Twitter (@ChasingCinema) as we live-tweet the Oscars this Sunday, February 26 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT!